Slippery Rock University

The afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 20, may have been cloudy, but for Ryan Campbell there was a definite bright spot as he posted his fastest one-mile time at Slippery Rock University's Old Thompson Field. The 7-minute, 15-second time trial was symbolic of his time as a student enrolled in SRU's Rock Life program, a post-secondary education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Campbell, who has autism spectrum disorder, ran the first three of his four laps around the track with his mentor/coach/training partner Katie Proffitt, a doctoral student majoring in physical therapy from Spring City. Then, the Slippery Rock native ran the last 400 meters on his own, breaking his personal record by 45 seconds, as friends and family members cheered him on, either socially distanced at trackside or watching on Zoom.

A towering Christmas tree that last stood in the entertainment district in downtown Orlando, Florida, has found a new home in Slippery Rock thanks to the collaborative effort of a Slippery Rock University faculty member, student volunteers and multiple community partners. The 35-foot, artificial Christmas tree is the main attraction for a new event called the Festival of Trees that organizers hope will draw more people to Slippery Rock during the holidays.

Slippery Rock University's Department of Dance will host its inaugural Emerging Choreographers Student Concert, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 18 via a livestream on the department's YouTube channel. The Emerging Choreographers Student Concert, formerly known as the Winter Concert, is being conducted virtually this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The name change, according to Lindsay Viatori, an assistant professor of dance and the concert's artistic director, was made to "more appropriately represent what the concert is and what it features."

Slippery Rock University's Department of Dance will host its first annual Fresh Moves Student Concert at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 12 via a livestream on the department's YouTube channel. The Fresh Moves Student Concert, formerly known as the Fall Concert, is being conducted virtually this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The name change, according to Lindsay Viatori, an assistant professor of dance and the concert's artistic director, was made to "more appropriately represent what the concert is and what it features."

Because of pandemic mitigation efforts, only a few people will be attending this year's Veterans Day Ceremony at Slippery Rock University in person. And while most attendees will witness the event virtually via a video stream on SRU's Facebook page, 11 a.m., Nov. 11, one of those who will have boots on the ground will be an SRU student veteran who will speak on behalf of his fellow veterans, military-affiliated students and Old Glory. Also known as the American flag, Old Glory itself will also be present at the Russell Wright Alumni House as Steven Pancoast will bring voice to the flag by reciting a heartfelt poem "My Name is Old Glory."

Twenty-two Slippery Rock University student vocalists will take the virtual stage at 5 p.m., Nov. 7 when they compete in the Department of Music's 28th annual Chad Williamson Memorial Vocal Scholarship competition. This year's competition will take place via Zoom with passcode 189355. Each student will present two selections, a classical piece and a piece of their choosing. Performers will be accompanied by either Nicole Cochran, an SRU instructor of music and staff accompanist for the Music Department; or James Lesniak, an associate coach and pianist for the Pittsburgh Opera who regularly works with the department.

Since theatergoers are unable to attend shows in person due to COVID-19, Slippery Rock University's Theatre Department has decided to bring the theater to patrons' video screens with its performance of "Home and Belonging." Performances will be 7:30 p.m., Oct. 15-17 via Zoom.

While "Who Will Lead Us?" is a question Americans will answer on Election Day, Nov. 3, it also happens to be the name of a University seminar course offered to freshmen this semester at Slippery Rock University. The course analyzes the U.S. presidential election. And whether SRU students are learning about the election process in a formal class or just following the news, all students are encouraged to become more political enlightened and register to vote by the Oct. 19 deadline.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's hard to remember a time when the majority of your day wasn't spent in some sort of virtual reality. And as even the most routine activities have transitioned to an online format, ensuring your security against potential (and very real) threats from phishing scams and viruses has never been more important. With that in mind, Slippery Rock University students and faculty will have the opportunity to learn how to better defend themselves at the 7th Annual Cybersecurity Fair. This year's event will go live via a series of preproduced videos at midnight, Oct. 30.

Slippery Rock University students taking an online class might not be able to gather as a group to visit an expert in the field, so an expert literally standing out in the field is coming to them. That's the premise of "Farmer Fridays," where a guest farmer conducts synchronous online presentations for SRU's Sustainability in Food and Hospitality course.

While most Pennsylvanians witness leaves changing colors this time of year, from rich greens to yellows, oranges and reds, another color change has been occurring in local streams during a much longer period of time. And fallen leaves are helping provide answers for researchers at Slippery Rock University. The cause for this change is the result of acid mine drainage, known as AMD, from abandoned mines entering waterways. Faculty and students from SRU's Biology Department are studying how AMD affects the microbial communities of afflicted streams and how that affects the habitat, such as the breakdown of organic matter that includes fallen leaves. Their research also considered ways to remediate AMD sites.

Hundreds of Slippery Rock University students have already done what a majority of the U.S. adult population doesn't do: get vaccinated for influenza. SRU's Student Health Services administered flu shots to nearly 400 students who chose to attend free vaccination clinics on campus, Sept. 17 and Oct. 5. Additionally, more than 65 SRU employees received flu shots through two on-campus clinics, Sept. 30 and Oct. 6, organized through the Human Resources Office.

Having a "can-do" attitude can be difficult for people who are continually reminded of all the things they can't do, especially while social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. From social gatherings and awards dinners to sporting events and concerts, the list of "no-nos" goes on and on. However, a group at Slippery Rock University is making another list that may just change students' perspectives. SRU's Office of Student Engagement and Leadership has started a campaign with a published list titled "Things Students CAN Do During COVID." This list, shared online and through campus flyers, names things like on-campus recreation, off-campus destinations or virtual activities, such as attending an online career fair.

Slippery Rock University's Department of Dance will host its annual Faculty and Guest Artist concert at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 8 via a livestream on the department's YouTube channel. The concert is a collaboration between SRU dance and art students, University faculty and nationally and internationally known guest artists. Jesse Factor, SRU instructor of dance and coordinator for the event, describes it as an opportunity for "showcasing dance faculties' creative research and to work with guest artists to diversify students' dance experiences." The concert will include up to 10 performances consisting of various styles and techniques and featuring 20 student dancers, four guest artists and seven faculty members.

For three Slippery Rock University students, the stereotypical internship chores of making copies, brewing coffee or emptying the trash are long gone. Instead, the students, each enrolled in SRU's Master of Social Work program, find themselves embedded within local law enforcement operations as police social workers, helping to de-escalate situations and applying their area of expertise.

There are a lot of factors that cause stress for college students, whether it's an upcoming exam, a career decision, or what they plan to do this weekend. The COVID-19 pandemic has only compounded those stressors, where even a decision to go out in public requires principled awareness. With that in mind, researchers at Slippery Rock University are studying the somewhat paradoxical hypothesis that a heightened sense of moral reasoning may result in more stress among college students.

Slippery Rock University observes Constitution Day every Sept. 17, and just because many people are working or studying remotely this year, that doesn't mean they can't participate in a Constitution Day activity, and have some fun, too.

Slippery Rock University has welcomed new students and members of its Class of 2024 with open arms, despite students being physically distanced from faculty and staff both on and off campus. More than 2,500 freshmen, transfer students and graduate students began fall-semester classes Aug. 17. And while approximately 80% of the SRU's classes this fall are online, the institutions' COVID-19 safety measures haven't prevented students from feeling like they are part of their new campus.

Many people use the excuses of not being "good at math" or a "math person" when they struggle to solve problems involving numbers. This concept of having a fixed mathematical mindset, where you are either born with the ability or you aren't, has turned a Slippery Rock University mathematics major into a "research person."

Racial disparities in the U.S. health care system is an issue that has become a focal point this year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nation's racial justice movement. But even before anyone heard of the coronavirus, Slippery Rock University students who took last fall's Politics of Race class had delved into the issue by focusing a research project specifically on racial disparities related to women's health.

One of the many challenges for college students during the COVID-19 pandemic is completing an internship, but students at Slippery Rock University are finding success through remote-work internships with major companies. As examples, three SRU students in the homeland and corporate security studies program recently completed virtual internships this summer, two of which with Amazon and Boeing.

Like most Slippery Rock University students, Angela Baker spent the second half of the spring semester learning in a virtual environment. And more often than not, that meant spending lots of time in a Zoom meeting room. However, when the semester ended, there was no reprieve from the online instruction for Baker. Only this time she was learning alongside NFL quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum. Baker, a senior physical activity and fitness management major from Cranberry Township, spent three weeks with the Cleveland Browns coaching staff as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coach Fellowship program.

The COVID-19 pandemic isn't the first time Slippery Rock University or the state of Pennsylvania had to respond to a global crisis that completely changed the way people functioned in their daily lives. During World War II, enrollment at what was then Slippery Rock State Teachers College dropped to just 187 students, nearly the same total as when the University first opened its doors in 1889. In the fall of 1944, all but two of the students were women.

People may have "heard" about herd immunity during the coronavirus pandemic, but a faculty-student research group at Slippery Rock University is actually showing what it means. Two professors and two students from SRU's Biology Department are developing a laboratory activity for non-major science classes at the University that demonstrates the suppressed spread of a viral disease after people get vaccinated.

Slippery Rock University students are finding ways to collaborate with community partners and share public health messages even while they are apart due to the coronavirus pandemic. Five students enrolled in the online master's degree in public health program are completing a practicum project this summer by working with Keystone Wellness Programs, a nonprofit health promotion agency serving Butler and Beaver counties. Together, they are leading social media campaigns to educate the Slippery Rock community on public health topics that include problem gambling, underage drinking and vaping.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the top priority for health officials in Pennsylvania was the opioid epidemic. The state's 36.1 rate of drug overdose deaths per 100,000 residents was among the top five in the nation. Recognizing this crisis, a faculty-student research team at Slippery Rock University is advocating for the treatment of opioid addiction through occupational therapy.

Did you hear the one about the philosophy researcher who liked stand-up comedy? That question is not a ploy to deliver a punchline. There indeed was a philosophy study at Slippery Rock University that looked at how stand-up comedy might be funnier depending on the performance space. In other words, a "tough room" might actually be the result of the room and not the audience.

To share her research about urban green space, Sau Silwal had to create some space in her online presence for social media. Silwal, a Slippery Rock University graduate student majoring in park and resource management from High Point, North Carolina, will present during a Twitter conference, June 16, organized by the Social Science Working Group of the Society for Conservation Biology.

One of the difficulties for people who have been on lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic was how to cope with the death of a loved one. Funeral services have been postponed and individuals were left to grieve in isolation. A study by a faculty-student research group at Slippery Rock University may have an answer to the grieving part of the equation via animal-assisted therapy, although their research focused on a specific population that has been isolated for entirely different reasons: prison inmates.

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, the four-week period to plant lettuce in Slippery Rock ended May 23. However, a faculty-student research group at Slippery Rock University is planning to grow lettuce and other produce on campus year-round with yields two times faster than traditional agriculture. The method researchers will be using is called aquaponics, an integrated system that combines raising fish, or aquaculture, and the soilless growing of plants, or hydroponics. Variations of this growing method date back centuries, but only in recent decades has the term "aquaponics" been used as researchers better understand its viability.